Can Parakeets Talk?

One of the most common questions about the parakeet is “can parakeets talk?” The answer is simple! Yes they can! Parakeets are actually one of the best talkers of the domesticated birds, along with African Greys and Quakers! There is actually a parakeet in the Guinness book of records for having a vocabulary of over 1700 words. Not bad for a little bird hey! Some Parakeets aren’t able to talk however, some lack the ability and others lack the desire. Here is starting guide to getting your parakeets talking.

The best place to start is with simple words such as “hello” or your parakeets name. You will be repeating this word or name quite a lot so get used to it! Repetition is the best way to get your parakeet talking, even if you feel a bit odd repeating the same word over and over it is the best way for them to learn. Try not to teach too many words at first as 1 may be hard enough!

JoJo Gives an excellent guide of how to train your parakeet to talk

Parakeets are excellent mimickers! But just remember they are mimicking and they don’t really understand what they are saying. Even if you train your parakeet to say “I want a beer” doesn’t mean you should supply him or her with one! This should go without saying but I have heard some weird stories…

If you don’t have the time to spend hours with your bird trying to get them to talk there are a few ideas you can try:

Record your voice and set it on play back. Play the tape to your parakeet whilst you are at work or out of the house!

Leave the Radio or TV on for your bird when you are out of the house. The more sounds they hear the more they can produce.

Nothing beats actual interaction with your bird! You should always be talking to your parakeet so they can learn to talk back to you!